Chapter 76 — Seasons of the Obsidian Court
The seasons in the Obsidian Realm were never gentle. They were cycles of fire, ash, and shadow — each one a reminder that survival itself was a ritual.
Spring brought the Ash Blooms, delicate violet flowers that pushed through blackened soil after the winter lava flows cooled. Summer scorched the land with intense heat, forcing people to adapt with shadow-cooled homes and twilight-infused clothing. Autumn was the time of Ember Harvest, when hellbeast herds were thinned and the richest stews and breads were prepared. Winter brought the Silent Veil, when volcanic mists thickened and the rifts grew quieter, as if even Korthrax rested.
This year, the kingdom celebrated every season with new fervor.
Liora and Cairis made it a point to participate in each one, not as distant rulers but as active members of their people. It was their way of healing — of showing that balance was not just a wartime necessity, but a way of life.
